ping
That is $46.6 M *per* drone. And they don't work. At what point does this become treason?
Most recently, the drones failed 14 times over 300 hours in a five-month round of preliminary trials at sea that ended Aug. 30, according to the data. Crippled drones were towed to port seven times, and the intense combat testing required for increased purchases has been delayed. The Navy plans to spend $864 million buying 54 drones from Lockheed, the biggest U.S. contractor.
The drone failures add to previous questions about how much value the U.S. will get from what's now supposed to be a $23 billion program to build 32 2 Littoral Combat Ships in two versions made by Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed and Austal Ltd. based in Henderson, Australia. Both versions depend on the drones to detect mines from a safe distance. ...
Further, the Littoral Combat Ship's separate, airborne-based AN/ASQ-235 mine neutralization system currently can't disable "most of the mines contained in the Navy's own real-world threat scenarios," Rankine-Galloway said. The system, which would be deployed on MH-60S helicopters, is intended to destroy the mines found by the drones.
Give me a “C” Vanna
Every generation of weapons renders the previous generation obsolete.
That’s why we keep them secret as long as possible.
Every generation of weapons renders the previous generation obsolete.
That’s why we keep them secret as long as possible.
Reminds me of Robocop:
Dick Jones: I remember when I was a young executive for this company. I used to call the old man funny names - Iron Butt, Boner... once I even called him... Asshole - but there was always respect. I always knew where the line was drawn, and you just stepped over it, buddy-boy. You've insulted me and you've insulted this company with that bastard creation of yours.
I had a guaranteed military sale with ED 209 - renovation program, spare parts for twenty-five years... Who cares if it worked or not?
Rearrange a couple of letters on the call sign in that photo and make it NWTF. I wouldn’t put one of my sons on those deathtraps.